the sulphurous and volatil-salin particles exerting a temperate heat that attenuates expands and dissolves the whole essence and separates the suliginous-salin parts from the homogeneous ones by subliming them into a sharp salin scum the tartarous and fixt salin particles it precipitates into a mucid and slimy mud This being observed to be the signification of fermentation according to the true intent and meaning of those that imposed it on things that were to be fermented it seemed indeed a very simple and idle assertion that whilst the blood doth seeth boyl hiss and burn the hand of him that toucheth it and occasion a black and sharp steem being an effect of fire on the mouth and tongue that all this should depend on a fermentation and mild heat of the blood Doth not fermentation always tend to concoction but a Fevor oft to corruption and death and that one and the same word shall signifie two contraries is it not an absurdity To express alteration mixtion generation corruption calefaction and what not by the word fermentation a word wondrous pregnant is to set limits to all physical re-searches and inquiries Neither do they detract less from the art of Physick who assert a vitiated ferment the cause of a Dropsie Phthisick Pleurisie and of the whole train of diseases on the correcting whereof to wit the serment every old Wife and Barber-surgeon shall say the stress of the cure doth lie and is it not then lawful for this Tribe to vye with fermentitious Physicians yes and exceed them How formally and cunningly at this rate is the disease cause and cure proposed by every Glisterpipe What is it at last come to What necessity is there to apply ones study to Anatomy Botanicks Physiology Pathology and a thousand other things O wonderful Head-pieces You will notwithstanding by the way admire if this notion of fermentation be only assumed as a phaenomenon or supposition for the thing it self is not yet agreed on by those that are something higher advanced in Learning to shew themselves more dextrous in illustrating the causes extracting of indications and in the method of curing yet it is not to be doubted but that they ship off a greater troop of sick in Charons Boat and deserve a greater fraight than the putrid Physicians But to the business let us now be at leasure to examine the manner and method that Fermenters undertake the cure of continual and intermittent putrid Fevors what indications they answer unto and wherein they receed from putrid Physicians The Indicantia and Indicata ought to be ranged in this order The blood too much inraged or too little moved by fermentation and a vitiated ferment are the chief Indicantia those things that promote or quicken the too slack fermentation and temperate it when too violent and reduce the ferment when receeded from its temperament are the Remedies Indicated The vital faculty languishing and deprived of its spirits doth indicate a cordial and restorative medicine The animal faculty being broken through want of many nights rest must be relieved with Opiats The Belly if forgetful of its office must be rowsed up with a stimulating suppository or laxative glyster neither are the urgent symptoms of a two swelling fermentation to be neglected A Phrensie that proceeds from sulphurous steems fuming up from the fermenting mass must be allayed by means that revell or draw back from the Brain Astringent medicines bridle a loosness and enormous vomiting Thus far in general concerning indications taken from their theorems nevertheless these being waved the Fermenters do follow the method of cure of the putrid Physicians in posting away their Patients to the place of their fore-fathers as shall be recited immediately That it may be physically illustrated we ought to premise their practice being fitted to a particular sick person whose age sexe temperament former custom of living season of the year tenor of their Pulse state of Urine urgent symptoms occasional and procatarctick causes and manner of the first assault of the Fevor what symptoms attended what symptoms arrived afterwards manner of breathing the habit of the Hypochonders Stomach and Belly the manner of the look of the sick man his manner of speech what habit of body what usual evacuations are suppressed whether the Fevor be essential or symptomatick whether first come or a relapse what disease he was troubled with last what remedies were applied before the Physicians coming and many other particulars that are to be distinctly proposed all which I say ought to be represented to the serious meditation of any Physician that is to undertake the cure of a Fevor But they receed so far from these necessary animadversions that being sent for to a Patient having only felt his Pulse they look upon the Urine and make some little inquiry concerning the state of his Belly whether loose or costive neglecting all other necessary informations and apply themselves immediately to prescribing and their first business is to put the Belly in order which they endeavour by this following form of a glyster but I am to advertize you before concerning the custom that young Physicians that are newly come from the University diligently repair to the Apothecaries shops for to inform themselves with the forms and receits of the Elder Physicians and being acquainted with them it happens thence that every Physician is furnished with the same examples or forms of remedies neither doth the one go an inch from the road of theo ther. Wherefore I shall collect you the most received forms throughout the whole course for to remove a fevor compiled by our modern ones afterwards how successfully our age makes use of them I shall particularly observe The presciption of a glyster according as it 's commonly found in the Shops is this R. Decoct commun pro clyst vel juxta alios R. Decoct Emoll com lib. j. Elect. lenit â„¥ j. Ol. com vel viol Mel. Mercur. vel Ros. ana â„¥ j. vel ij Sal. com q. s. m. f. Enem Some there are that instead of common Salt put in Salt-peter or Sal-prunellae from half a dram to a dram which for its detergent and cooling quality is far beyond the other and indeed Crystal mineral being added to any sort of glysters is far more beneficial because it agreeth so very well with the temperament of the Guts on the contrary Sea-salt being of a drying inflaming and irritating faculty is very offensive to the Guts For this reason the Antients made use of it as well inwardly in Pills thick Syrups Glysters as outwardly in Oyntments Some among the Fermenters do extreamly oppose the giving of purges or laxative glysters in Fevors because they provoke the corrupted excrementitious humours to ferment whose steems piercing into the vessels do disturb and augment the fermentation of the Fevor On the other side the putrid Physicians make this reply to them that glysters doing their work quick and without the Vessels cannot transmit the least breath of heat nor blow up
commended for oppugning this Epidemick venom with all their force ought to be preferred What concerns Spirits of Hartshorn you would stand in a doubt whether they be more prevalent in their pernicious qualities or in their ungrateful tast This latter is taken notice of by all that have had the occasion of tasting them the former is very amply asserted from the complaints of those that have used them for they are no sooner past the throat but have caused a furious burning in the stomach and entrails raised the fermentation to the highest pitch put the whole structure into a fire and destroyed the spirits and strength of nature All these evils do proceed from an impure and venomous sulphur that is latent in the spirits of Harts-born and corroding fiery volatil salt that is united with the foresaid sulphur Notwithstanding though the aforesaid spirits are so virulent and deleterious they are not quite to be rejected for experience and authority do witness that the most mortal venoms namely Antimony Quicksilver Arsenick c. do contain within their bowels an alexipharmacal vertue which is very powerful in expelling of venom and other subtil malignitles Wherefore if the spirits of Hartshorn by a particular preparation are purged of that virulent sulphur and the force of its corrosive salts extinguisht there will be remaining only a pure cordial sulphur and a most subtil volatil salt which by their close union and coalescence do not only contribute strength to the vital spirits but with an united force first extinguish the malignant miasms and afterwards expel them These spirits do not burn and inflame like others but consist of a pure ethereal and most penetrating body and are famed not for intending the fermentation but rendring it apt and easie whereon the efficacy of the cure doth chiefly depend The fame of Lapis Contrajerva against putrid and malignant Fevors is spread among most people but how deservedly let those judge that have made trial of it The Contrajerva roots which are the base of the composition besides dregs and a mealy thickness contain neither volatil not fixt salt that is effectual nor any quality that may be discovered by scent or tast but on the other hand it is inferred from many experiments though the root hath been given in a double dose to those that lay sick in fevors that it scarce did a pins worth of good The Virginian root doth potently heat and kindle the Bitumen of the humours so that it doth not effect so much good by its diaphoretick vertue as it doth harm by its caustick quality Cochenil grains do recreate the sight by its colour but not at all the vital spirits by its cordial vertue Priests do swear on the words of the Gospel but some Physitians swear more religiously on the stupendious vertues of Extractum Cardiacum described above But whence such great vertues should proceed may be lawfully inquired into Certainly in all extracts the most active particles do together with the Menstruum that is evaporated fly away into the air a gross dreg that is without any soul in it remaining in the bottom and constituting the body of the extract pray tell me are there not wonderful faculties for suppressing malignant Fevors hidden in the bowels of such a kind of Extract Moreover since Narcoticks are the chiefest parts of it the vital spirits being now ingaged at the deepest and somewhat giving way are not to be quite cast down and overthrown by such Narcoticks or their strength to be settered by them Wherefore those things are to be given with a great deal of caution and scruple especially to such as lye languishing to avoid the throwing them into a sleeping bottomless pit as most may remember hath happened to many Others endeavour to relieve cast down Nature with pretious fragments Bezoar stone Pearl Coral and shelly medicines as if they would redeem her for a certain price from a deplorable state but to no purpose for these premised stones since they do chiefly consist of a ponderous earth though pure and transparent being taken inwardly through their weight sink to the bottom of the stomach which for that reason they do extreamly burden and oppress and occasion obstructions round about Under what notion they refresh the heart and vital spirits and oppugn the malignity hath not been my luck hitherto to discover it 's true through their splendor and rayes they recreate the optick and likewise sympathetically the other animal spirits but do not in the least strengthen but by dispersing the sight rather weaken them When they are reduced into powder they contain nothing that is volatil nor any fixt salt that may be advantageous for the liquor that floats in the stomach to extract unless they are calcined before If you instance that the acid liquor of the stomach which goeth by the name of a Ferment doth extract the tincture out of them that contains all their energy and entire faculties take for answer that 1. At the time of a Fevor the stomach is quite deprived of that acid humour 2. The tincture of almost all stones are not real tinctures but alterations and concoctions of the Menstruum proceeding from the matter that is to be extracted which notwithstanding doth not communicate the least thing to it since after the extraction is made if it be weighed in a scale there is not a grain of its weight lessened Moreover what concerns the Bezoar stone I have known seventeen grains of it given to a Vintners child that was scarce two years old without the least operation or alteration following upon it Some that were grown up who had taken half a dram of it found no kind of alteration but an oppression and weight at their stomach besides I pass by that the greater part of those stones is fictitious and counterfeit At the conclusion of this chapter there remains something to be said concerning the use of Epispasticks According as they are usually applyed by Physitians now a days their greatest benefit is that a few namely such as lay ill of Fevors having undergone the punishment of Vesicatories had recovered their former health and many that had received the same kind of punishment were dead At present ought to be inquired into the matter of fact whether those few ought rather to bless Vesicatories for their recovery than many others to curse them for being the occasion of their death The case is to be decided by the consequence a few that have used Vesicatories have escaped many that have used Vesicatories have perisht it may then probably be concluded that the use of Vesicatories is pernicious and mortal But let us take the reason of the thing into consideration for the most part that small number that have escaped from a continual Fevor after the concoction was past which through occasion of their lowness of strength was not discovered have had Vesicatories applied which by reason of the concoction and separation have drawn forth a great
affundendo Decoct ras corn cerv lb. ij in express dissolv sacchar albi â„¥ iij. Aq. cinam Ê’iij m. f. Emuls capiat ad libit This cordial did him great service in supporting his vital faculty R. Aq. rosar â„¥ iiij Aq. menth Ceras nigr ana â„¥ j ss Aq. Cinam â„¥ ss Spir. menth Ê’j Confect Alkerm Ê’j Syr. cydon â„¥ j. cort citr â„¥ ss m. f. Iulep Capiat cochl ij altern hor. Those days excepted on which he took his cathartick bole he made use of this cordial and adstringent Electuary R. Corn. cerv ust ℈ j. cui instill spir corn Cerv. rectif gut x. conter in mortar Vitr huic adde Coral rub opt laevig Ter. sigil Bezoard min. ana ℈ ss Croc. angl gr ij Diacydon s. q. s. m. f. Electuar pro duabus dosib matut vespert Since no practice or method of curing a distemper ought to be received unless it can be justified by the application to several ages and both sexes I am induced to give you the narrative of a malignant Fevor Captain Mannings daughter in Bell-yard Kingstreet was afflicted with her age was between nine and ten years her temperament sanguine and bilious habit of body thin and lean and in respect of the whole composure weakly The second day the malignity appeared in a delirium and oppression of the vital faculty her heat was very great and drought very urgent The same day about four in the afternoon I advised she should bleed about five ounces out of the right arm the next morning a glyster was given Her ordinary drink was this following decoction R. Rasur Corn. cer â„¥ j. Rad. scorzoner â„¥ j ss Tamarind â„¥ ss Coq in Aq. font q. s. in Colat. lb. ij dissolv Syr. acetos borrag ana â„¥ j ss m. f. Apoz Capiat ad libit Some four hours after bleeding I prescribed an ample dose of an Alexiterial Julep with twelve drops of Essentified spirit of Hartshorn dropt into it the same was to be repeated for two mornings and nights following the operation of these medicines was signal in a gentle sweat and breathing which on the seventh day extinguisht the Fevor and malignity Though this course proved so successful as to restore her to a perfect health I am apt to suspect that about the next Autumn she will be troubled with an intermittent Tertian because malignant Fevors as I observed before generally leave an impâ—ession on the bowels through which in a short time another distemper is ingendred This observation not long since was verified in the tertian ague one Mr. Powel a Taylor in King-street Covent Garden was surprised with three months after I had cured him of a very malignant and dangerous Fevor The principal medicine to which I attributed the cure of this Fevor was spirit of Harts-horn depurated of its poysonous Sulphur and salt by a late invented process That the sulphur and salt I do defecate by the forementioned process from spirits of Hartshorn is venomous appears by these circumstances 1. The quantity of two scruples is a proportion sufficient to kill a dog 2. The scent of it doth commonly occasion vomiting and a raging headach 3. The spirit of Hartshorn that is thus freed and depurated from this noxious sulphur and salt is far more powerful in provoking sweat and urine in the same quantity and dose than the common spirit Neither doth the said spirit cauâ—e that burning heat anguor and suffocation which the common usually doth His Tertian Ague though the paroxysms were durable to ten or twelve hours and the other symptoms very fierce yet was easily conquered by taking three doses of my Pil. Polychrestae Since a greater number of particulars than two or three is required to render an observation universal I shall insert one or two more I have a page or two before given you the journal of the malignant Fevor of Mr. Van Mildert it was in him also the preceding observation was confirmed for about two or three months after his recovery from the said Fevor he was taken with a violent Rigor i. e. shivering and shaking a raging headach vomiting a great drought a bitter tast in his mouth and after the Rigor a very smart heat and towards the latter part of his paroxysm did suffer a most immoderate sweat a sign this single tertian Ague would prove very obstinate After a Laxative Glyster there was eight ounces of blood drawn out of the right median on the intermittent day Every other day he took a dose of a Vinum Medicatum composed out of Hepaticks and purgatives done up in a bag and insused in an anatick measure of Rhenish Wine and Succory water Having used this thrice he intermitted eight or ten days and then took two doses of Antisebril Pills which â—erfectly cured him of this stubborn Tertian Mrs. Wilkins a Tradesmans Wise in Drury Lane three or four days after delivery of a child was on a sudden taken with a shaking after that with a very scorching heat and a opprest frequent respiration the second night raved and was very turbulent This Fevor which from those symptoms might justly be termed malignant took its rise from her wine Cawdels and supping of hot Spirits which the good women had given her to support her strength whereunto her eating meat as Pigeons and other heavy food did much contribute in the causing an ebullition of the blood and suppressing her Lochia I advised her to have the Saphana opened for derivation and revulsion and caused Suppedanea to be applied composed of Pickle-herrings Soap and Salt of Tartar Prescribed Whey made by instilling some few drops of spirit of Salt into Milk hereof a half pint to be taken warm three times a day with xxv drops of essentified spirits of Harts-horn the success of these remedies appeared in the quick return of her purgamenta and occasioning a moderate Diaphoresis which soon put a termination to the Fevor She enjoyed her health near ten weeks about which time she sell into a melancholy and a great palpitation of the heart not without frights and fears This continued eight days when the Moon being at full she grew maniack or Bethlem mad I ordered she should be kept in a dark room and be blooded nine ounces out of the right arm two days after gave her a dose of Hartmans Antimonial Cathartick Pills which operated very well Upon three days intermission repeated the same Pills Next morning she took this following Electuary R. Vitriol Lunae fix Bezoard Lunar Sulphur Antimon ana ℈ ij sal succin Ê’ ss Conserv Borrag â„¥ j. m. f. Elect. Dos Ê’j mane sero superbibendo seri lactis borraginati â„¥ vj. For her oâ—dinary drink one ounce of Tinctura Antimaniaca was added to six gallons of small ale Her hair was shaved off and every morning somented with the decoction of Marsh Mallows Violet Leaves Pellitory St. Iohns and Chamomil flowers whereunto was affused some spirit of Amber There was also an issue made above the left